Minority language applicants

To have the right to upper secondary education and training you must have legal residence in the country. You must also have

• completed Norwegian primary and lower secondary school
• completed a general basic education abroad for at least 9 years or
• have prior skills and knowledge equivalent to a completed Norwegian primary and lower secondary education for adults, assessed by the municipal authorities.

Waiting for a decision on residence permit 

If you have legal residence in the country and are waiting for a decision on your application for a residence permit, the following stipulations apply:

• If you are under 18 years and it is probable that you will be staying in Norway for more than three months, you are entitled to upper secondary education
• If you turn 18 during a school year, you are entitled to complete a school year you have started. 

If your application for a residence permit is turned down, the right to upper secondary education and training is valid until you have a final decision.

The Nordic countries and EEA 

Young people from the Nordic countries or children of employees from other EEA countries have the same right to upper secondary education and training as those educated in the Norwegian 10-year compulsory school (see also Schooling abroad).

Without grades from the Norwegian education system

 If your grades are not comparable to the Norwegian grading system, you will be assessed individually (see also Admission after individual treatment).

Norwegian language 

There are no special requirements with respect to proficiency in Norwegian in admission to upper secondary education and training

Courses and programmes for language minorities

You are considered to be in a language minority if your mother tongue is a language other than Norwegian or Sami.

• If you do not have sufficient language proficiency in Norwegian, you have the right to .
• You may also be offered introductory education for minority language applicants

Since the county authorities are responsible for differentiating the teaching for minority language applicants, rules of admission and courses offered may vary from one county to another. The application deadline is 1 February for language minorities requiring special differentiation.